In a big win for U.S. TV watchers, Disney and Charter have struck a new deal that brings Hulu’s ad-supported service to all Spectrum TV Select customers at no extra charge, and it also restores eight Disney-owned cable channels that were dropped during their dispute. The deal was announced on June 26, 2025, and will start this summer. It represents a big shift in how cable and streaming services are bundled for people.
Hulu and Eight Disney Channels Return to Spectrum TV
Spectrum TV Select customers will soon get free access to Hulu’s ad-supported tier, along with Disney+ (which has been included since last year) and the upcoming ESPN streaming service, expected by fall 2025.
Charter and Disney are stepping up a plan: they want to mix regular TV with high-quality streaming. Sean Breen, Disney’s EVP of Platform Distribution, said the goal is “the most robust and valuable combination of linear and streaming entertainment for years to come.”
Spectrum will bring back eight Disney-owned channels—Disney Jr, Disney XD, Freeform, FXX, FXM, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo, and BabyTV—after they were removed in 2023 amid a major carriage dispute. The dispute kept millions from watching big events like college football and the U.S. Open, showing just how intense things have gotten between cable companies and content makers in this new age of streaming.
Industry Impact and Customer Benefits
The fresh deal is being welcomed as a smart move for both businesses and, even more, for the millions of people watching Spectrum TV. “This extension is a true testament to our mutual confidence in this innovative model—which already is showing improvement in subscriber churn—and our commitment to work creatively together to achieve win-win outcomes for both of us and most importantly for our customers—all achieved mid-cycle and absent from any of the typical pressures from expiring agreements,” said Tom Montemagno, Executive Vice President of Programming Acquisition for Charter.
According to what the companies shared, this deal will be a win for both sides financially and should help boost ad reach and keep people more engaged across their platforms. Charter, the second-largest cable company in the U.S., is now bundling in streaming, telling TV Select users that Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ add up to over $100 in value each month. Disney benefits from this agreement because it keeps its old-school channels going strong and makes money, all while riding the wave of streaming’s popularity.
“This deal shows we’re putting more effort into using Disney’s top-notch shows on all platforms and genres and that we and Charter are working together on smart new ways to deliver them in a way that benefits everyone,” Breen added.
Looking Ahead: A New Model for TV Distribution
The renewed partnership could be a model for how cable TV and streaming services can work together and grow, even as more people cut the cord and change how they watch shows. Charter will also promote Disney’s streaming services – Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, and the Disney Bundles – to its broadband-only customers at retail prices, and give TV Select customers the option to move up to ad-free streaming plans.
When it launches, people can watch everything on Hulu and live Spectrum TV using the Xumo Stream Box or any device that works with Hulu. They haven’t revealed the financial terms, but analysts think the agreement keeps the contract going well into the future and might set the tone for other deals between content creators and cable companies.
As the TV world keeps changing, this Disney-Charter deal stands out as a rare sign of teamwork in a fiercely competitive industry, and it could shape how Americans watch TV.
